✓ | NOT AGAIN, NOT THIS TIME

23: A Wound Heals

23: A Wound Heals

News echoed in the entire North that every member of the Hampress County has been murdered. A rumor broke that it was the Young Master of Jade Castle who broke into the County and set their doom, but the Dukedom covered it with a statement that Hendrix will never do such a thing. They were assured that Turnaryen and Hampress had been good allies at each other that made the blame rest away from my husband.

To eradicate the suspicion, we all went to the burial of the family. Malakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko subalit mas nanaig ang aking pagka-disgusto. He brought that up to himself and killing him sure did pull a nail in me, I'm still trying to overcome my trauma.

We attended their funeral, and assumed we would never do such a thing. I stayed in the coffin of Rafaello for a while, looking at his pale body without his head. His head was actually in the castle, pinakita sa akin 'yon ni Hendrix bago niya tinapon 'yon sa umaapoy na hearth nang Kastilyo. Seeing him dead is not terrifying before my eyes, for my conscience has been stepped on the moment he fucked me.

He deserves it, he sure does. But a question still lingers in my head. Why did they die in the past when I just came here? The Hampress was wiped from the noble family tree. They don't have children to carry the bloodline for both the young ladies and masters are unmarried.

Why did Hendrix kill them in the past? Is it because they are enemies hiding behind a dignified county? The Duke said that Hampress County was a traitor clan, does killing them first is a mark of the Turnaryen's assemblage of rebellion?

Kahit gusto kong itanong, hindi ko kayang sabihin dahil malalaman niyang ito ang pangalawa kong buhay. It's not my intention to spill such truth at this early stage, that's why I tried to assess my own questions.

"Bella," said Duchess Jasmine. "You are spacing out, child. Would you like to be accompanied home?"

I let out a smile. "I am fine, your grace."

We were doing embroidery on a linen she brought the other day. It has been a few weeks since the incident but the pain is still fresh. Napansin ko ang paglapit ng kanyang isang kamay sa akin at marahan na hinawakan ang akin. A flash of a little smile filled her lips.

"Before I became a Duchess, I was a slave."

Napamaang ako sa sinabi niya. Her lips smiled yet her eyes didn't. It has pain, it shows how much she suffered. Bumigat ang nararamdaman ko at halos hindi ko na rin pinigilan ang aking mga mata na ipakita ang sakit na nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.

Her thin lips formed a flat smile. "I was harassed, molested, and I can't even count how many men had used me for their pleasure. But I never lost hope, because I know someday I will be saved and I did. When the Duke came to our rescue, my life changed. I wasn't clean when we met, but it's not about that, Bella. It's about how they loved us despite being tainted." Biglang naging malungkot ang mukha niya at napayuko ng marahan. "Then, I was told I'm infertile. I can't conceive a child and the whole Dukedom had pledged for my dethronement, but he held me tight, he fought for my rights, and I never could be more grateful for him."

"Hendrix surely inherited that will from his grace," mahinang saad ko sabay labas ng isang pilit na ngiti. "But, he was struggling. He can't let go of the thought, we can't move on from it."

"Because it's fresh, Bella. A wound heals for a while, and even if there's a scar that reminds you from that past, it is still a symbol that you've been through it," she softly said.

Binigyan niya ako ng isang makabuluhan na ngiti bago bumalik ang kanyang mga kamay sa pag-e-embroidery sa hawak niyang tela. I smiled a little upon feeling my worries had been lifted up from her words. She's been truly helpful ever since I came to the North.

I went home after spending the whole afternoon with the Duchess. I saw Hendrix at his desk, looking through some documents that I don't understand. Napansin ko pa si Joaquin na dumaan at binigyan niya lang ako ng maikling pugay.

"Hendrix," I called him.

He slowly lifted his head from reading and turned it to my side. A little smile escaped my lips when his tired eyes locked itself to mine. I walked the distance and he immediately reached for my hand and kissed the back of my palm.

"How did the session go?" he asked.

"I made this," I said and showed him a handkerchief that has his name embroidered on one of the edges. "I will try a linen once I master how to properly do a curve. Do you like it? I did that for four hours, and my fingers were in pain."

His lips curved, then looked at me with his eyes glittering like diamonds being reflected from the sun, but there's no sun in his office and the moon has been with us for a while. Hendrix kissed my hands again while looking at me, and that has given me courage.

"Thank you for this, wife..." he whispered while his lips latched on my skin. He then kissed each of my fingers to compensate for the joke I said earlier. Hindi naman masakit ang mga kamay ko, gusto ko lang suyuin.

It has been weeks, but Hendrix never touched me aside from my hands and my head. He valued my healing and his patience had been helping me move on. His assurance using these small gestures had been my solace.

Dinala niya ang isa kong kamay sa kanyang dibdib at bumalik ito sa pagbabasa. It's always like that, his silence made me feel guilty because he never really wanted to do things his way, and waited for my cue.

"Hendrix..." I called out his name. Pumapalibot ang aking isang kamay sa kanyang balikat at ginamit 'yon para ipaharap ang kanyang mukha sa akin. When he turned willingly, I kissed the corner of his lips. "Thank you for everything you've done to me."

His eyes looked confused. "Are you okay?"

I smiled happily. "Yes, I am. I just want to say that."

"Well, then. I will do my best to maintain such an act to my lovely wife who's been brave and strong," he replied quickly and kissed my hand again. Napasimangot ako sa ginawa niya kaya agad siyang napangisi. "Would my wife mind me kissing her lips instead?"

Muntik akong napahiyaw ng bigla niyang hinawakan ang aking bewang at dinala ako nito sa kanyang hita. I giggled when I hit his groin unconsciously that made his chest let out a rumble. I circled my arms around his name when he leaned over to kiss me, but he only stopped when our lips almost latched.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

I stared at his sapphire orbs. "Cover me with your marks, Hendrix. Take me, own me for I have been yours."

"You're not going to cry again, like the last time?" he asked worriedly, remembering how I cried heavily when we tried to do it. "I don't want to hurt you, to open that fear. I can wait for the time that you will be healed, Isabella."

"But I can't wait to make love with you, Hendrix."

•×•×•×•×•×•

VOTE | COMMENT | SHARE

are highly recommended. See you, wanderers!